Antiaircraft shell



Oct. 24, 1944. c UNTERBERG 2,360,912

ANTI -AIRCRAFT SHELL Filed March 8, 1943 63/142455 MVTEEG Patented Oct. 24, 1944 STE Frrc

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 2 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in shells or projectiles and has for one of its primary objects the provision of a novel and improved shell which is especially adapted for antiaircraft use.

More specifically it is an object of the invention to provide a shell which will be effective for disabling aircraft or obstructing the maneuvers thereof without requiring the shell to directly hit the aircraft and is effective even though the shell explodes at a point remote from the aircraft.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an anti-aircraft shell having a retarded descent obstruction or aircraft disabling expedient which is rendered effective for the purpose specified upon the bursting of the shell.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment having the characteristics of my invention and by which the same may be practiced.

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the anti-aircraft shell partially sectionalized to illustrate the interior construction and assembly, while Fig, 2 is illustrative of the retarded descent obstruction released upon the bursting of the shell.

The shell shown in the drawing to illustrate an embodiment of the invention includes a shell casing 5 having an annular recess 6 extending from the forward end I of the casing 5 into walls thereof intermediately of their surfaces and substantially concentric therewith. The base portion 8 of the recess 6 is utilized as a powder magazine for a charge 9. The shell nose piece I is provided at its base H with an extending annular flange or lip I2 adapted to extend into the recess 6 and cooperates with the inner surfaces thereof for the journaling of the nose piece to the shell casing. The annular lip flange l2 also serves to enclose the charge 9 within the recess 6. Upon the forward end of the nose piece II] is provided a time fuse i3 from which a powder train or a fuse I 3 extends to and through the annular flange I2 into firing communication with the charge 9.

Within the shell casing there is provided a great length of cable 15 in coiled formation. One end of the cable [5 is secured to the base of the shell casing 5 by any suitable means, such as by tying the cable end to a loop IS on the inner base surface of the shell casing. To the other end of the cable l5 there is attached a suitable parachute I1 folded into the shell casing in a compact manner to prevent fouling. The forward end of the folded parachute H, which is the crown of the chute when in extended position, is secured by suitable means, such as a tie l8, to the inner forward portion of the nose piece l0.

In operation, the time fuse I4 is set to allow predetermined flight or altitude igniting the charge 9. When the charge is ignited, the nose piece I0 is caused to be separated from the shell casing 5 and, by reason of the parachute tie 18, the parachute I1 is caused to be withdrawn from the casing 5. The tie I8 is of such strength as may be readily broken by the momentum of the nose, from the casing, when the chute is drawn taut. Once the chute is freed of the nose piece, the Weight of the shell casing 5 together with the coil of cable I5, as it speeds earthward, causes the parachute ll to be extended. The retarded parachute I! on the forward end of the cable I5, and the weight of the shell casing 5 on the other end of the cable 15 subjects the cable to tension, thereby causing it to uncoil and hang streamerlike from the chute, as shown in Fig. 2, as an obstruction intended to foul the control of aircraft.

A barage of such obstruction would be extremely effective, particularly because the cables would be difiicult to see even in clear skies and even though sighted would be difiicult to avoid because of their constantly changing positions.

Having described my invention and illustrated an embodiment by which the same may be practiced, what I claim is:

1. An anti-aircraft shell comprising a casing open at one end and having a recess extending from said open end into the walls of the casing, a shell separating explosive charge within said recess, a shell nose piece having a portion extending from the base thereof into said recess, said extending portion serving as means for inclosing said charge within said recess and as means cooperating with the walls of said recess for journaling said nose piece and casing, a time fuse carried by said nose piece, a fuse extending from said time fuse into igniting relationship with said explosive, a parachute within said shell, tie means of predetermined tensil strength securing the canopy of said parachute to said nose piece, and a coil of cable within said shell having one end secured to said shell casing and its other end secured to the shroud lines of said parachute,

2. An anti-aircraft shell comprising a casing open at one end and having a recess extending from said open end into the walls of the casing;

a shell nose piece having a portion extending from the base thereof into said recess as means cooperating with the walls of said recess for journaling said nose piece and casing, a time fuse carried by said nose piece, an explosive charge 10 

